Gonzalez has career-high six hits in Padres' win

Aug 12, 2009 - 5:13 AM
MILWAUKEE(AP) -- Adrian Gonzalez credited his teammates with
giving him the chance to leave his mark in San Diego's record
book.

Gonzalez set a career high with six hits and the Padres had
their best offensive output of the season, beating the
struggling Milwaukee Brewers 13-6 on Tuesday night.

He singled in the first, fifth, sixth, seventh and ninth, and
doubled in the third as the Padres had 22 hits - at least two
hits in every inning except the fourth when they were retired in
order.

"It's a pretty cool accomplishment," Gonzalez said after
becoming the first San Diego player to have six hits in a
nine-inning game and fourth to do it overall. "It's more of a
tribute to the rest of the guys, the whole team. I was able to
do it in nine innings just because everybody hit. I was able to
get six at-bats in nine innings."

Padres Hall of Famer Tony Gywnn, who was at the game as a
television commentator, went 6 for 7 in a 12-inning game against
the San Francisco Giants on Aug. 4, 1993.

"I think 6 for 6 is pretty cool whether you do it extra innings
or not," he said. "Everything was working for me tonight."

One hit for Gonzalez was a little more special than the other
five: A two-run single off left-handed reliever Mitch Stetter
with the bases loaded helped break the game open in the six-run
sixth.

Gonzalez said that he had been trying to stay close to the plate
more over the last 10 days or so, especially against lefties.

"I've hit the ball well against lefties, but my numbers aren't
where I would like them to be against lefties," he said. "So,
definitely being able to get an 0-2 pitch, a good pitch that he
made down in the zone, and still being able to stay on it and
stay through it so I can lift it enough to get it over the first
baseman's head was probably the best at-bat of the day."

Gonzalez came in batting .190 against left-handers and .292
versus right-handers.

Brewers manager Ken Macha had nothing good to say about his
bumbling team.

"I don't have a whole lot to say tonight," he said. "We never
did get Gonzalez out."

Chase Headley and Kevin Kouzmanoff each had three hits, and Will
Venable and Gonzalez had three RBIs apiece.

San Diego won for the 10th time in 14 games, setting a season
high for runs against Milwaukee - and starter Braden Looper -
for the second time in 12 days.

On July 31, Looper gave up six runs and 10 hits over five
innings, but ended up with a no-decision in an 11-7 loss to the
Padres.

"I made a couple of bad pitches and it seems that's the story of
my life this year," Looper said. "Every bad pitch I make, they
don't pop up."

Clayton Richard (2-0) went six innings and allowed four runs on
six hits, struck out three and walked two, facing Milwaukee for
the second time this month in his third start for the Padres.

He settled down after allowing Mike Cameron's solo home run in
the first and Felipe Lopez's RBI single in the second and
allowed just one hit from the third inning until the sixth, when
Bill Hall hit a two-run homer.

The left-hander was one of four pitchers acquired from the White
Sox at the trade deadline for Jake Peavy.

The Brewers, who just finished 4-5 on a nine-game road trip,
slipped two games under .500 (55-57). It was the most hits they
have allowed since the Los Angeles Dodgers had 18 en route to a
17-4 victory on Aug. 4.

The Padres chased Looper (10-6) and then pounded Stetter in the
sixth when they sent 11 men to the plate and scored six runs on
four hits, two errors and two intentional walks.

Venable and Henry Blanco hit solo shots in the second off Looper
who leads the majors with 29 home runs allowed. He went five
innings, allowed seven runs-five earned-on 11 hits.

Kouzmanoff's RBI single in the fifth put the Padres ahead to
stay.

Tony Gywnn, acquired from Milwaukee for Jody Gerut on May 21,
returned to Miller Park for the first time since the trade.
Pinch hitting for Richard, he doubled and scored in the seventh.

NOTES: The Brewers optioned RHP Chris Smith (0-0, 3.62 ERA, 23
games) to Triple-A Nashville to make room for RHP David Weathers
(3-3, 3.32 ERA, 43 appearances) who was acquired from Cincinnati
on Sunday for a player to be named. ... Padres RHP Cesar
Carrillo will make his major league debut against the Brewers on
Thursday. The club will make a corresponding roster move after
Wednesday night's game.

NLAT MILWAUKEE - SCORING UPDATESOLO HOME RUN BY WILL VENABLE (7) TO RIGHT CENTER WITH 0 OUTIN THE 2ND OFF BRADEN LOOPER.CURRENT SCORE: SAN DIEGO 1, MILWAUKEE 1DUE UP FOR SAN DIEGO: K BLANKS (.225, 6 HR, 14 RBI)